Vitamin D 25 Hydroxy

Importance of this test

Many people with indoor jobs, living in northern climates or with concerns about the sun's harmful effects on skin may have a Vitamin D deficiency. Why? The answer is simple: while fortified milk, cereal and certain kinds of fish can grant some degree of Vitamin D in the diet, the major source is sunlight. This is potentially serious, since Vitamin D is essential to good bone health. Moreover, other medical studies suggest that Vitamin D may help lower risks of heart disease, diabetes and cancer.

Who should be tested?

Recently studies have demonstrated that 77 percent of U.S. teens and adults were found to lack enough Vitamin D in their system. Since the pigment melanin makes it harder for the skin to produce Vitamin D from sunlight, dark-skinned persons should strongly consider testing. On the other hand, Stanford University study noted that light-skinned individuals are twice as likely to have Vitamin D deficiency. Then if you are a light-skinned person with narrow time in the sun, you should consider testing as well. Finally,
Crohn's disease, cystic fibrosis or celiac disease can reduce the intestine's ability to process Vitamin D from food, so think about taking this test if you have one of these medical conditions.

What does the The Vitamin D, 25 hydroxy test include?

A small amount of blood is drawn from the patient by a qualified technician. Participants should fast at least four hours before the test. Subsequently, an official medical laboratory evaluates the test results, and they also are available online within four business days after a blood test. The test will measure your body's amount of Vitamin D in the bloodstream, with a regular range of 30 to 70 nanograms per milliliter (ng/mL).